As a child, Vanessa was a real life “Heidi” living in the Eschen Villa on the clean, cold alpine Attersee Lake, in Seewalchen Austria, 50 KM East of Salzburg.

Vanessa’s birthplace was located 50 meters from her Godmother’s famous Paulick Villa – the Summer Playground to Vienna’s Elite Art Nouveau Community including Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Richard Teschner and Friedrich Paulick at the turn of the 19th century.

In fact, the aunt of Vanessas’s Godmother, Gertrude Floege, was the famous fashion designer Emelia Floege – life companion of Gustav Klimt who frequently painted at the Paulick Villa..

Also the last Countess Maria dei Medici, who lived adjacent to the Eschen Villa hand wrote a poem for Vanessa as a child… Not many People can say that!

Vanessa got her teaching Degree in Salzburg but her real love and talents were for cooking..

Coming to Vancouver Island via Culture City itself – Salzburg Austria – A true Austrian,Vanessa has pure Mozart flowing through her veins and a delicious piping hot Austrian ApfelStrudel in the Oven for her many guests!

Vanessa and her 70’s husband owned and operated the Austrian Chalet, an 80 room hotel with 3 Restaurants in Campbell River BC

Vanessa spent many years as Victoria BC’s busiest and most Versatile Culinary Instructor from her Veni. Vidi, Coxi Cooking School, and operating her busy “Vienna Catering” Business

Author of 8 Cookbooks, Vanessa also wrote a food Column, had her own TV cooking show and did food styling for other local authors.